“Enough about me, let’s talk about what happened last night.”
I lifted my shirt, and saw that my skin was once again flawless. I had contemplated how to explain to Caro what had happened but wasn’t completely sure myself.
“Mortal Nights,” I replied.
“Yeah, you said something about that last night. What does it mean?”
“I don’t know exactly why it happens, or when, but, when I was young, my great-grandmother told me that Mortal Nights will come and go. She said I will wish I had lived more those days or died more.”
“That’s the one who was like you, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So what do you know about it?”
“Well, I read some of her journals about a year ago, and it basically says on Mortal Nights that you are normal like everyone else. My flaws escape me and I can be harmed like everyone, my shadow cannot be summoned, and I can’t heal myself or other people.”
“And you didn’t think to give me a heads up?”
“I didn’t even know myself. It was my first one. It only happens once a month for like five years in the early to late twenties. I didn’t even think about it until that happened last night.”
“What did it feel like?”
“It was like. . . finally feeling alive. Terrifying, yet exhilarating.”
“So, rewind a second, what do you mean you read your great-grandma’s journals? What are they?”
“They’re like her diaries from her having what I have, and she has this book with different rules and stuff explaining weird things about the flaws, like on how we interact with other flawed people, triggers, how to evolve our tranquility place, to avoid small children, especially the day they are born. You know, stuff like that.”
“So let me get this straight: You basically have a user guide to your flaw and you’ve only ‘read some of it’?”
“Well, yes. . . it’s kind of long.”
“Christ, Dani, all this time you’ve had the ability to learn more about your flaw and you haven’t even bothered?”
“Well, I’ve glanced at them some, I —”
“Dani, you should know those journals front and back. You’re basically a ticking time bomb. It is your responsibility to know what you are capable of —”
As Caro continued on her lecture about what I should do, something caught my attention on the table. I ignored Caro as she waved her hands around and claimed to be talking to herself. I cocked my head sideways, because I was sure my eyes were deceiving me. I grabbed the prescription bottle off of the table and read the prescription authorizing doctor’s name.
“Joyce Deason.”
“Who’s that?” Caro asked.
“Joyce was my doctor at the institution.”
“Wait, what? How does Law know her?” Caro asked.
“I have no fucking idea, do you? How would he know her?”
“I don’t know,” Caro said with a shrug. Her phone beeped at that exact moment, “Oh, shit, Franklin wants to see us.”
This made my stomach drop. I could only imagine what Franklin had in store for us after last night’s fiasco, and if he had learned we had spoken with Law and been bailed out by him, this would be even worse for us.
“Well, we had better go now, get it over with,” Caro said, signaling for the check.
“Oh, I don’t have any money,” I said.
“Of course not, you never do. Your whole paycheck goes up your fuckin’ nose.”
“Ouch, Caro. Don’t be mad at me ‘cause you’re worried about Franklin.”
“Well, you should be worried too.”
“You think he’ll fire us?”
“No, he won’t. He’ll just make us redeem our indiscretion.”
We took a taxi to pick up Caro’s car from the club and headed to Franklin’s. Meeting with Franklin was a lot like going to meet the President, I imagine. He has a mansion, gated, with a brick wall surrounding the perimeter. He has his own security team who escort you everywhere. He just tells you to come, then makes you wait thirty minutes before showing up to talk to you. Caro says he does this to build anxiety. We were seated in his office, awaiting his arrival. I played with various knickknacks on his desk and paced back and forth in his office.
“Would you please sit down, you’re stressing me out,” Caro said.
I obeyed and sat down next to Caro as my leg bounced out of nervousness. Soon after, Franklin entered. He swung open both doors, as one security team member stepped inside behind him and stood at the door.
Franklin is a gorgeous, politician, frat boy, country club, silver spoon combination. He’s tall, white, average build, dark brown hair swept to the side, no facial hair, strong jawline, suit-adorned. He looks like he just stepped out of a campaign commercial. Although Franklin is rather young, mid-thirties, he has established an entire empire in this city. He came from money and stayed for power.
“Good afternoon, ladies, y’all look like you had a rough night.” He said with a smile, as he found his seat at his desk.
I decided to let Caro take the lead on this conversation, since she was much closer to Franklin.
“Sir, I am so sorry about what happened last night. It was completely my fault —”
“Caro, Caro,” Franklin said, holding up his hand, “I’m not worried about that. We all have bad nights. I’m more worried about you guys.”
He folded his hands in front of him on his desk and glanced over at me.
“How are you doing, Dani?”
“I’m good,” I replied.
“I heard you had a visit from Law, tell me about that.”
“Um, he bailed us out of jail and tried to talk to Caro when we were leaving, but Caro ignored him.”
He glanced back and forth between Caro and me. He hesitated for a moment, “What did he give you.”
I produced the pill bottle from my pocket, “These.”
Franklin grabbed the bottle and read it. He
